A Mother's Mistake
by Nimrod The Writer
Summary: How can one little forgotten question lead to a nightmare of a situation?


Meh. It's short, but I felt the need to write it.

Enjoy?

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I remember the day my son almost died. It's something a mother should never go through.

Sam and Tucker had come over, as usual, while me and Jack were working on our greatest invention yet: The ghost portal. It had taken us two years to build and that was the day we were going to finish it. I had been so nervous and so excited, ready to see my life dream become a reality, ready to create a way into the ghost zone.

I remember Jack calling Danny and his friends downstairs to the lab. He was just as excited as I and he wanted the whole family to be there to witness our greatest achievement. Unfortunate Jazz was at the library, so Sam and Tucker would have to suffice. They were practically family anyway.

Danny had come downstairs with a bored look on his face as usual. He wasn't interested in our work, but at least he didn't hate it like Jazz. I told them what the portal was for, to break into the world of the dead. Sam had looked just as excited as me, Tucker and Danny looked a little nervous, but rightfully so. This was a dangerous thing we were doing.

"Now stand back kids, and watch your mom and I make history!" He was absolutely beaming.

They took a few more hasty steps back as Jack grabbed the activation box with a grin, glowing with anticipation.

"Banzai!" he yelled, reminiscent to the first time we built a portal. Of course, we'd taken every safety measure possible, so nothing like accident that could ever happen again.

I was tense, waiting for the bright neon green to explode from the large circular device. But...nothing happened. A little fizz, that was all. Two years of hard work, two years of slaving over blueprints and stingy funders and hours in the lab, and all that came of it was a little fizzle. I'd never been so disappointed in my life.

Jack looked about ready to cry, the hand holding the activation box limp at his side. He dropped it to the ground without a care and hung his head, more than a little upset. I rushed over to him, and pat his large back gently.

"We'll take a break and work on it again tomorrow dear." I told him through my own tight voice, I think I was ready to break down too.

I led him upstairs, giving a glance back to my son and seeing the look of sympathy on his cute little face. Sadly, I turned back around and opened the lab door with a loud creak. The little noise reflected my failure as it echoed around a silent house that should be full of joyful cheers.

Jack went up to bed early, and I watched him go with worry. Jack had never gone to bed early. It seemed the failure was taking it's toll on him as well. He'd even skipped out on dinner. I sighed and looked at the clock, seeing 6:24 blink in bright green from the mantle.

"I should make dinner for the kids..." I whispered to myself, hoping I could somehow forget the portal.

I'd been mixing a bowl of seasoning to apply on pork chops when the most terrifying sound emitted from the basement, worse than any ghost my imagination could conjure up. Danny's agonized scream seemed to reverberate inside my skull and I was up and running to the lab in a split second.

In my haste, I stumbled, falling to the ground and momentarily getting tangled in a few blankets Jack left out. I cursed angrily, frantically trying to get to my son. Finally, I extracted myself from the blankets and ran full speed to the lab once more, wrenching the metal door open and bounding down the steps.

"Danny!" I yelled, seeing him doubled over with a look of horror on his face, staring at his hands as though seeing them for the first time.

The portal glowed with an unearthly green behind him, throwing his shadow long across the floor. His entire body was smoking and he was shaking like a leaf, eyes unusually bright.

"Danny! Danny are you alright? What happened!" I rushed over to him, noticing Tucker and Sam staring at Danny in horror, oddly backed away from him as though he were dangerous.

"I...I..." he looked confused and scared, eyes flashing around the room.

I touched his forehead, but even though smoke was rolling off him, he was freezing cold.

"Mom, I'm sorry, you just looked so disappointed when the portal didn't work and-"

"Oh Danny." I wrapped him in a hug, clutching his thin form to me tightly, just happy that he was okay. I didn't even care about the portal right now.

"I'm glad you got the portal working, but that was incredibly dangerous young man!" I held him away from me and tried to scold him, but my heart wasn't in it.

He looked away from me, hugging his shoulders tightly. I pulled him back to me, stroking his hair as my heart rate finally stared to calm own.

"You could have died, Danny..." I whispered, more to myself.

I felt him stiffen in my arms, his breathing irregular.

"Uh..." he pulled away from me, looking jumpy, "I'm gonna go to bed, I'm kinda tired." he said with a shrug.

"Oh, well alright. But maybe we should do a little check over and see if-"

"No, no! I'm fine!" he grinned widely, backing away to the door. Sam and Tucker took tentative steps after him.

"Well if your sure..." I drawled, still worried.

"Yep, I'm sure, bye!"

He was out of the lab so fast it was like he just disappeared. I was left alone, the sudden realization that the portal was working just beginning to dawn on me. I rushed upstairs to pull Jack from sleep, my previous excitement filling me up once more.

I never even asked Danny how he turned the portal on.

And now, as I stand over my bleeding child, ecto gun limp in my hand, I realize I should have, that maybe we wouldn't be here right now if I had. Maybe Danny wouldn't have that terrified look in his eyes as he screams apology after apology to me, his snow white hair matted with bright green blood, matching his eyes perfectly.

"I'm sorry Mom! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry!..."


End file.
